


Coming Home

by veenaistired



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-15 12:25:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19295701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veenaistired/pseuds/veenaistired
Summary: Tenten comes back to Konoha after being gone for six months while Neji is still trying to adjust to the city. Sometimes coming home is harder than it seems.orNeji ends up stealing Tenten's cab at the airport and when they meet again she absolutely Goes Off.





	1. Taxicab

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo, so this is my first fic for this couple and I'm praying that I don't ooc them. Anyways, thanks for dropping by and enjoy reading.

„Dear Passengers, due to a disturbance on subway line three, it will not be operating between Konoha international airport and Central Square until further notice. We apologize sincerely for any inconvenience this might cause.“

_Shit._

Tenten tried fishing her phone out of her back pocket, almost dropping one of her numerous bags in the process. Just her fucking luck. She’d just gotten off an excruciating plane ride and through security and already wanted nothing more than to collapse onto a bed and sleep for a week. Airports weren’t among her favorite places to be under any circumstances, but it seemed to be especially busy at the moment. Not to mention that now, her means of transportation was out of commission. She considered her options for a second. Konoha was a big city and the airport lay at the outskirts, so walking was out of the question. It would take ages, and with how hot it was outside of the air-conditioned building, she’d probably catch a heatstroke before getting anywhere near her destination. The only remaining option was a cab then. Tenten frowned at the thought. The taxi wouldn’t be cheap and even though she wasn’t living on scraps, her six-month internship in Singapore hadn’t exactly made her a rich woman. Well, better to pay up than being stuck at the airport all day. After getting her bags situated, she tried for her phone again, quickly unlocked it and sent a message to her best friend.

[To Lee]: subway’s out so i might be late. see you soon

The device vibrated only seconds later, indicating a new message. Despite the less than optimal situation, a smile flashed across Tenten’s face at his text.

[From Lee]: oh man :(( keep your head up, i ordered gamabunta’s pizza for dinner!  
[From Lee]: can’t wait to see you!!!

[To Lee]: GOD i’ve missed you  
[To Lee]: and gamabunta’s ;^)

Both of his messages were completed with multiple emojis and she felt her bad mood dissipate at least a little. She’d missed Lee. They’d been best friends ever since high school and roommates all through university. When they first met, she never would have thought that they’d get along so well, but his near unlimited energy and her occasional recklessness had made for a surprisingly good combination and the rest was history. The pair and Lee’s adoptive father, Gai, had become a close-knit group of both, family and friends at the same time. Until she’d gone to Singapore half a year ago. Leaving them behind, even though she knew it was only temporary, was one of the hardest things Tenten had ever done. Lee had since moved into a smaller flat but was still kind enough to let her stay at his place until her new apartment was finally being vacated next week. Hell, if she suddenly turned out homeless he’d probably let her stay forever, knowing that she would do the same for him.

After being used to it for years, not sharing a living space with an actual force of nature had gotten lonely pretty quickly. Of course, they’d still talked on the phone and via Skype, for hours on end sometimes, but it hadn’t been the same. Video calls just couldn’t compare to nights out dancing to terrible music at their favorite club or lazy movie nights after an intense boxing session at Gai’s studio. Out of all the things she was looking forward to now that she was back, and it was quite an extensive list, Tenten was, without a doubt, most excited about reuniting with Lee. Not to mention that he’d ordered from her favorite pizzeria, which was always a plus. As if on cue, her stomach let out a low rumble. She hadn’t had anything to eat since the small packet of peanuts she’d gotten at the start of the eight-hour flight and was thoroughly famished by now. 

With something to look forward to and renewed energies, Tenten picked up the heavy bags and began to make her way towards the taxi stands. The airport was packed and judging by the masses that moved in the same general direction that she did, she wasn’t the only one looking for an alternative to line three. Tenten figured that she’d be lucky to catch a cab without having to wait an ungodly amount of time, so she picked up the pace even though her body, stiff from the long plane ride, protested more than a little. 

Together with the horde of other people, she traversed the buildings. The airport, despite its name and location, wasn’t really a part of Konoha. It just happened to be a point of arrivals and departures, a gateway. Passing through it, Tenten couldn’t help the anxiety welling up in her. Six months were a long time to be gone for and during these months an irrational fear had slowly but surely built up within her. Namely, the fear of everyone else moving on without her. Her more rational side knew that those feelings were unfounded, but somewhere, in a dark corner of her soul, she was scared as shit. Scared of having lost the only home she’d ever known. But as long as she didn’t leave the airport and truly entered the lively, dirty, chaotic and absolutely beautiful place that was Konoha she wouldn’t have to face such a possibility. The box was closed, the cat neither alive or dead. Beautiful uncertainty. Tenten mentally decked herself. She didn’t usually bitch around like this and she sure as hell wouldn’t start now. Forcefully, the woman tore away from her thoughts and focused on the miniature exodus instead.

Walking out onto the parking lot and leaving behind the air-conditioned buildings, the brutal heat of summer hit her like a punch to the gut. She was already sweating the second she left the cool sanctuary behind, a condition only made worse by the fact that she was hauling most of her belongings around. A shower would be sorely needed. By the time she arrived at the taxi stand her sweaty bangs were plastered to her forehead and she probably smelled like a pile of garbage. Covered in fire. At least the heavens had seemingly heeded her silent prayers, as there was a vacant cab waiting next to the sign. _Jackpot._ The young woman placed her suitcase and bags near the trunk of the car, taking a few seconds to make sure they wouldn’t tumble onto the street. All that was left was to talk to the driver. Not.

As she turned around she nearly collided with a tall man in a suit with long, dark hair. Nearly, because he beelined past her, got into the backseat and slammed the door closed. Just like that. Before she had the opportunity to react, the engine had already started up and the taxi was driving away, leaving her in a cloud of gas and the pile of her luggage. As the car turned around to leave the parking lot she caught a glimpse of the man in the backseat. He seemed to be about her age and upon taking off his expensive looking sunglasses, Tenten could see that his eyes were a striking light color. _Mother. Fucker._ Stupid Asshole Rich Bastard Piece Of Shit. Dickhead with a capital D. 

„What the fuck, you ass!“, she screamed after the car, more to vent her own frustrations than to actually remedy the situation. Predictably, it didn’t help. Even after the cab had gone her fuming anger didn’t dissipate in the least. Angry and defeated she dragged her bags off the street and, for the lack of a better option, sat down on her biggest suitcase. Having missed her chance at getting out of the heat so narrowly, the sun seemed to beat down on her all the harder and Tenten could feel the sweat pooling between her shoulder blades, forming a dark stain on her shirt. Still, she couldn’t afford to leave her spot, as other travelers were already approaching the taxi stand. Not if she didn’t want to miss the next opportunity to get out of this place. You snooze you lose, easy as that. Trying to distract herself from the merciless heat and her own rage, she took her phone out and sent another bunch of messages to her best friend. If she had to suffer this injustice she sure as hell wouldn’t do so on her own. 

[To Lee]: so guess what  
[To Lee]: some rich asshat stole my cab so i’m stuck at the airport for now  
[To Lee]: idk when i’ll be home but i swear if i see that fucker again it’s ON SIGHT

Thankfully it didn’t take him long to reply. 

[From Lee]: man, i’m sorry ://  
[From Lee]: down with the bourgeoisie! 

Down with the bourgeoisie indeed. With Lee notified about her tardiness and discontentment, there wasn’t really anything else to do but wait. At least her seething hatred at the mystery cab-thief prevented her mind from running off towards her anxieties again. Somewhere next to her a small child started bawling. Tenten mentally braced herself for a tough twenty to thirty-five minutes. 

—

In the end, she waited less than half an hour, but the weather and general atmosphere of the parking lot more than made up for that. The dark asphalt seemed to absorb every little ray of light and warmth the sun threw down at it, heating up so much Tenten could probably have fried an egg just by breaking it onto the pavement. At first, the air-conditioned interior of the cab had seemed heavenly, but the sudden shift in temperature quickly tired her out. The roads back into the city were clogged, probably as a result of both early-evening traffic and the disturbance on line three, which still hadn’t been fixed. Konoha public transport, reliable as always. Some things never changed. She caught herself almost drifting off into an uneasy sleep multiple times, barely managing to keep her exhausted body awake. Funny how a day of sitting around and waiting could tire you out. When the cab finally pulled up in front of Lee’s building Tenten gave the driver a generous tip on top of the already hefty fare, even though her wallet was begging her not to. After lifting her luggage out of the trunk she quickly texted her friend to let him know that she’d arrived. 

Lee came sprinting through the entrance door and up to her less than a minute later, enveloping Tenten in a bone-crushing hug. When they pulled apart she could see actual tears twinkle in his eyes. The idiot. Her best friend had always been prone to tears, but upon seeing proof that he’d missed her as much as she did the other way around, Tenten couldn’t help the intense wave of warm emotions crashing down on her. After all that time, they were still family. 

„I’ve missed you so much!“, he managed to choke out, his voice almost falling victim to an oncoming sob. She couldn’t help but giggle in amusement.

„Me too“, she answered before playfully elbowing him in the ribs. „Now let’s get out of this damn heat before I melt.“

Lee’s apartment was on the fourth floor and the somewhat shabby looking building didn’t have an elevator, but between the two of them it took only one go to haul her belongings into the flat. The second Tenten kicked off her well-worn sneakers, she felt at home. 

„You wanna eat or shower first?“, he asked after they’d gotten her luggage situated.

„Shower, definitely. Or else your home is gonna smell like a garbage dump after a nuclear fallout within the minute.“ 

Fifteen minutes and a nice cool shower later the pair was sitting around Lee’s dining table stuffing their faces with pizza at a pace that would have seemed bizarre to anyone else. Savoring the flavor, she wondered how exactly she’d survived six whole months without her favorite fast-food. „Gamabunta, pizza fresh from the oven“, more like „Gamabunta, pizza better than sex.“ Inbetween bites they talked about trivial things like Tenten’s frantic rush to make the apartment look presentable in order to get her deposit back or the shit Lee’s coworkers got up to.

„Oh, by the way, a friend of mine texted earlier and asked if I wanted to meet up for a drink later. You’re more than welcome to tag along if you’re not too exhausted.“

Tenten considered for a second. She was exhausted, true, but a cool beer sounded pretty good right about now. Besides, somebody had to keep out an eye for Lee if he was drinking; his tolerance was embarrassingly low and whenever he got drunk he tended to be quite… well, loud. Putting it nicely. 

„Sounds good, but I swear it better not be Kiba, that guy’s just obnoxious once he starts drinking.“ The last time they’d gone out partying together they had to basically carry him home because the absolute moron tried to jump over a parking clock and sprained his ankle. 

Lee chuckled, probably remembering the exact same story. „No, it isn’t Kiba. You actually don’t know him, I think. We used to know each other in elementary school and caught up just after you left for Singapore. From what I heard he had a pretty bad time at the airport today too.“ 

Now _that_ piqued her interest. Tenten wasn’t one to miss out on a good venting session and that friend of Lee’s seemed like the perfect partner for it. „What’s his name?“

„Neji.“

„Nope. Never heard of the guy. When are we heading out?“

—

Half an hour later the two were out on the street again. They had settled for a bar not too far from Lee’s apartment and, since the temperature had dropped a few degrees, she found herself actually enjoying the walk. Making their way through one of Konoha’s less fancy, but lively, areas Tenten was once again overwhelmed by how much she had missed the place. The subtle smells, the graffiti-covered walls, the noisy masses walking towards wherever life took them. It made her feel like she was back in university, her only problems being how to pass finals and which party to attend on the weekend. Content with being swept up in the crowd and her own nostalgia she made her way to the bar. 

When they arrived, someone was already leaning against the wall, next to the entrance. Lee started frantically waving, so she figured it was Neji. The man turned to face them, raising one hand in a greeting. He was tall. Long, dark hair. Light eyes. Wait. Tenten felt her anger drift back up to the surface, exploding out of her in an intensity that rivaled that of a supernova. 

**„YOU FUCKER!“**

—

Neji’s day had just gotten a whole lot worse. Not that it had been anywhere near great in the first place, mind you. 

All throughout the day, his tension and agitation had been rising. The reason for the less than positive feelings was simple: his family. For as long as he could remember, the presence of the Hyuuga clan had been looming over his life like a dark shadow. The family was rather large and the inner workings of it intricate and complex. Neji had never wanted any part in it. Back when he was still alive his father, Hizashi, had managed to mostly keep him out of the crosshairs of the many family feuds, but since his death almost fifteen years ago there was nobody left to protect Neji from whatever nonsense the family threw at him. It didn’t matter now. Over the years the young Hyuuga had learned to protect himself. Mostly by closing himself off and working as hard as possible to keep up with his uncle’s high expectations. If it wasn’t for his cousins, Hinata and Hanabi, he probably would have turned into as much of a coldhearted bastard as his father’s twin. How the two always remained so cheerful was beyond him. 

Today, the clan had chosen to bother him by throwing phonecall after phonecall at him, most of which he’d ignored. When the caller ID of Hiashi Hyuuga himself had flashed up on his phone, however, he’d found himself unable to let it go to voicemail. No matter how much he wished for the opposite, the invisible bond that kept him tied to the clan was still there. What had followed was one of his uncle’s infamous scoldings. Toeing the line between cold indifference and anger throughout the entire conversation, his uncle had, once again, found it necessary to criticize his decision of moving to Konoha. About four months ago he’d finally decided to put some distance between the clan and himself, moving to his mother’s birthplace. Needless to say, his relatives hadn’t exactly been pleased. They’d expected him to stay at the estate, working as a lawyer for the family business. After all, it had been at the Hyuuga family's insistence that he'd studied that particular subject in the first place. Even though he valued his education, Neji couldn't help but wonder whether hed chosen a different subject, had the choice been up to him. Of course, him visiting for Hanabi’s eighteenth birthday had only served to reanimate the dispute. 

He hadn’t even wanted to go to that family gathering in the first time but at his younger cousin’s insistence, „I swear if you leave Hinata and me alone with the old geezers again, I’m coming for you“, Neji had given in. Even though they were sisters, his cousins were complete opposites and he hadn’t had a single doubt that Hanabi would make good on her threat. That girl's will was ridiculously strong, to the point where she even defied the will of the family's head sometimes. How his youngest cousin could be so unbothered by Hiashi's cold disappointment was a complete mystery to him. Where the young man himself was concerned, there wasn’t any other word but „hate“ to describe how he felt about his uncle’s way of making his discontentment known, underhanded but without ever dropping a single insult. He wasn’t mad, just disappointed. _Classic._ After the whole ordeal, he’d wanted nothing more than to relax a bit with a friend. A mistake, as it turned out. 

The woman who’d arrived together with Lee had started shouting obscenities at Neji the second she’d spotted him. Not exactly a pleasant way of expanding his vocabulary. He wasn’t used to getting lip from anyone, much less someone who was almost a full head shorter, but the woman standing before him seemed absolutely set in her ways. Somehow, she reminded him of a cruel mixture between a steamroller and an active volcano. _That_ was supposed to be Lee’s best friend? Neji had already known him to be a somewhat special individual, but he’d expected a better taste in people, even from Lee.

„Are you even listening to me you ignorant prick?!“ That served to snap him out of his self-pity, back into reality. „I waited ages in that stupid parking lot for another cab!“

He seriously wasn’t up for this right now. In general, he tended to avoid conflict rather than encourage it. „Look, I’m sorry, but I was in a hurry earlier“, he said, trying to diffuse the situation. However, this statement only achieved the opposite.

„You were in a hurry?! Are you _**kidding**_ me right now?! Just because your rich little ass has somewhere to be doesn’t mean you can just cut line without even saying so much as a word!“ The woman in front of him was positively working herself into a fit right now, but he wasn’t about to respond to her provocations. If she wanted to yell some more, that was fine by him. Without losing his calm, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and let out a heavy sigh. That gesture only seemed to spur on the woman’s anger. „Now you’re ignoring me huh?! This is unbelievable! I swear if it wasn’t a crime you’d be catching these hands right now!“

Now that one got a reaction out of him. Neji had been practicing martial arts as a hobby ever since he was a child. He’d taken up the hobby at his uncle’s insistence to deal with his supposed _„repressed emotions“_. Whatever that meant. Still, he’d grown to like it quite a lot and stuck with it. That girl had no idea who she was challenging. Not that he had any desire to actually hurt her, but he would defend himself if it came down to it. Remaining calm, he simply said: „Come at me if you like, but I won’t be held responsible for whatever happens after.“

„Oh you wanna **_fucking go!?_** “, the girl shouted, raising both of her fists. He was already getting ready to block whatever attack she was going to throw at him, but, as it turned out he didn’t have to move a single muscle. Quick as a flash of lightning, Lee had positioned himself between the two. 

„Tenten, I’m not sure this is a good idea“, he stated matter of factly.

„Wha- he told me to have at it! You heard him!“

Neji wasn’t quite sure whether to feel thankful or annoyed. He certainly didn’t need Lee’s help defending himself, but maybe not causing an even bigger scene was for the best. 

„While I’m sure the two of you sparring would make for a formidable fight, this probably isn’t the right place nor time for it“, Lee continued, alerting his two friends of the small crowd that hat formed around them. Great. As mad as she seemed, even Tenten, at least that’s what he figured her name to be, saw the truth behind Lee’s words. 

„Alright“, she began, no longer shouting but the rage still evident in her voice, „But you’re not off the hook yet. Tomorrow at Gai’s studio, seven am. Don’t think that, just because you’re some rich pretty boy, I’ll go easy on you.“ After basically spitting those words at him, her eyes searing coals and her voice acid, she turned on her heels and all but stormed off, leaving him and Lee standing in front of the bar. 

„I am _so_ sorry!“, Lee began before Neji had even the slightest chance to process what in the world just happened. „Tenten usually isn’t like that, but after today she was really agitated.“ Well, so was he, but he had the self-control not to lash out at the next best person because of it. „You could’ve just apologized for the whole cab thing, you know?“ So now this entire debacle was supposed to be his fault? Seriously?

„I _did!_ “, he protested.

„Yeah, in about the worst way possible.“ He supposed Lee had a point with that. Being friendly didn’t come easy to Neji and a lot of the time he just ended up getting his foot stuck in his mouth. From what he could tell though, Lees’s supposed best friend wasn’t exactly an ace in polite conversation either. „Still, watching you two spar will be interesting, no matter the circumstances.“

 _Really now?_ Try as he might, he just couldn’t imagine such a small looking person giving him any sort of trouble in the ring. He knew Lee’s skills to be impressive though, having trained with the young man on multiple occasions, and just couldn’t imagine him lying about someone else’s abilities. That guy was way too straight forward for that. Maybe something would come of this whole mess after all. „If you say so.“

„It’s gonna be the battle of the century!“, Lee almost shouted, not very mindful of his volume. The young man was rather emotional, Neji knew that much, but still, the situation didn’t warrant such excitement. At least in his eyes, it didn’t. Thinking back to the woman’s intense outburst just a few minutes earlier, it started making sense that she was friends with Lee. „Ah, I need to go after her now, she’s staying at my place and doesn’t have a key“, he continued, sounding apologetic. „Sorry to make you come all this way for nothing.“ He was sorry for not being able to grab a drink but not for his friend basically assaulting him? That guy needed to get his priorities in order.

„Don’t worry about it. As it seems I’ll be meeting you tomorrow anyway.“ If he was being honest, the whole encounter had just served to exhaust him even further, so he didn’t mind about the night out being canceled. 

„Yes, until tomorrow!“ Lee was already turning around, ready to run off after his friend, but stopped at the last second. „And, Neji“, he began, suddenly sounding much more serious than before, „Don’t even think about holding back on her or she will absolutely wipe the floor with you.“ Without missing a beat he put on his signature grin again and jogged away.

Standing there, alone on the sidewalk, Neji wondered _what the hell_ he’d just gotten himself into.


	2. Steamrolled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hands are thrown and ass gets kicked.

The next morning rolled around way too quickly, even though Neji didn't catch more than an hour of sleep. The combination of his usual restlessness and merciless summer heat effectively kept him awake. Lately, he'd fallen into some sort of vicious cycle, not being able to properly sleep at night, being tired and irritable during the day instead. An unhealthy amount if black coffee kept him going for now, but that was in no way a permanent solution to the problem. Sooner or later the lack of sleep would catch up on him. Not today, though. Almost mechanically, the young man got dressed, had a cup of highly caffeinated coffee, and packed his bag. It was a routine executed every day, without fail. Hadn't he distanced himself from his family to break free of this repetitive behavior? Every single day of the year was strictly planned out in the Hyuuga household and while some of his relatives thrived that way, it had worn him out over the years. Still, old habits weren't easy to get rid of, even if he wasn’t fond of them. Today was an exception already though. Neji usually didn’t start out his days holding boxing matches with strangers. Incredibly angry strangers. All night, he hadn't been able to make sense of Lee's strange friend, no matter how hard he'd tried. She'd seemed dead serious about fighting him and, considering what his friend had told him, Neji had better be on top of his game. Snapping out of his thoughts, he made ready to leave. Being late wasn't his style. 

The way to Gai's studio wasn't a particularly long one, so he chose to walk instead of taking the subway. Not many people were out and about this early in the morning and traversing the almost empty streets had a calming effect. He hadn't spent much time in Konoha, even when his parents had still been alive. Neji's life had always revolved around the Hyuuga estate, so discovering more of his mother's birthplace felt somewhat liberating. One if his fondest, and only, memories of the city was eating ice-cream at a small parlor somewhere near the city center. Maybe one day, he’d go there again.

The coolness of last night still clung to the air, but inevitably, the summer heat would burn it away. Today'd be another hot one. As the studio came into sight, the young Hyuuga found himself to be... nervous? Excited? He hadn't fought anyone new in quite a while and part of him was looking forward to it, even though the circumstances could be better. The studio technically wasn't open yet, but he could already see Lee waving frantically at him from the window. Pushing open the heavy glass doors, Neji entered the building.

"You're here! I knew you wouldn't skip out on this", his friend spoke, just a tad too loud. Still, his enthusiasm served to put Neji in a slightly better mood.

"Good morning to you too. Where's your friend?" From what he could see, there wasn’t anyone else in the room and if the woman was chickening out now, after all those big words the evening before, he’d be more than a little irritated.

"Tenten? She's just getting changed. Seriously though, this is going to be interesting. I honestly don't know who has the better chances." He sounded earnest, a twinkle of excitement in his eyes.

"Is she still as angry as yesterday? I'd like to know what I'm in for." If Tenten was still mad at him, that might even be an advantage. Opponents that weren't calm often miscalculated and, as a consequence, easier to defeat.

Lee let out a small chuckle. "Don't worry, she's cooled off. She never holds grudges for long, yesterday was just… it was a long day for her. Still, that doesn't mean things get any easier for you."

"Is she really that good?", Neji asked, still not one hundred percent convinced.

"I am."

Neji spun around, the woman in question standing right behind him. He hadn’t even heard her approach, which, considering her loud display just yesterday, was quite surprising. Tenten was standing there, both hands on her hips, looking confident and ready to go. The young man took a second to assess his opponent. The oversized shirt she’d worn the day before had hidden how muscular she really was, but in the sweatpants and sports bra she was wearing her strong looking arms and stomach were clearly visible. He’d definitely underestimated her based on her size, he shamefully admitted. Underestimating an opponent was a mistake only amateurs made and Neji Hyuuga considered himself as anything but. Still, raw strength was only one factor among many, so he didn’t feel too intimidated just yet.

„What the hell are you staring at!?“ At the sudden exclamation, he was forced to look her in the eyes, alight with fire, just like yesterday. Had he been staring? No, he decided. There was a distinct line between analyzing an opponent and ogling a woman. Even if he seemed rude, after her explosive display the evening before she really didn’t have any right to complain.

„Just go and get changed, rich boy. I don’t have all day.“ Her tone was incredibly dismissive, a stark contrast to how she’d been on the offensive last night. Great to know that the woman who had it out for him, knew more than one way to be obnoxious. Neji just hoped „rich boy“ wasn’t her new nickname for him. After all, even his patience had limits.

Not wanting to needlessly drag the conflict out, the young Hyuuga made his way to the men’s dressing room and swiftly changed into suitable clothes. When he walked back out, Tenten was just finishing up wrapping her hands with protective bandages and started on some light stretching. Going into a match unprepared was never a wise idea, so he figured he should probably follow suit after making sure his in hands were covered. Warming up his joints, he fell into a comfortable trance that always seemed to overcome him when he was training. It was one of the reasons he liked it so much. Boxing was intense and taxing on the body, so during practice, there was no room for any other thoughts or doubts. All problems were temporarily forgotten, abandoned in favor of the best possible performance. In his teenage years, he’d tried meditating to achieve similar results, but it just hadn’t worked. As soon as his body stilled, his mind started wandering, every time, without fail. 

After a few minutes, both of them had warmed up sufficiently and entered the ring. Standing there, facing each other, an undeniable tension filled the air. A kind of tension he knew too well, having experienced it before most matches. For some reason, Neji didn’t know why, he felt that the next few minutes would significantly change something. What that may be, he wasn’t sure of. 

„We should set the rules!“, Lee said cheerfully, clapping both hands together in excitement. 

„Easy,“ the woman in the ring with him began before he even had a chance to make a suggestion, „One round, first one to tap out loses.“ Her gaze swept across the room, to her friend, then, like a planet continuing it’s course, back to Neji again. „You cool with that?“

„Yes“, he replied, honestly. One round to go all out, nothing more. He preferred it that way. 

„Alright, then get into position!“, Lee's voice echoed out through the room. Both fighters obeyed instantly, relying on muscle memory to quickly assume their stance. 

„Ready…“

He planted both feet firmly on the ground, muscles tensing all throughout his body as the tension rose to new levels. The world around the two slowly vanished, leaving nothing but them and the ring. Nothing but the unavoidable confrontation. There was only focus and anticipation. 

„Set…“

Time started to slow around them before grinding to a halt completely. A split second or a thousand years, it didn’t matter. It wouldn’t have surprised him if the world had stopped spinning. The desire to move became almost unbearable as the pair was caught in the moment, caged like animals in a zoo. Their eyes found each other, a silent promise in each pair. None of them would give so much as an inch. They were two mighty trees, roots planted deep into the earth and bark harder than stone. Immovable. Strong. 

„ **Fight!** “

The seconds began to flow again, fast and wild like a mountain river just after the spring thaw. They moved. All the pent up tension in his muscles was set free at once, launching him forward. Fist clenched so tight the knuckles were almost as white as the bandages that covered them, he threw the first punch. She dodged it, not fluidly like water, but with the brutal speed of a lightning bolt. The air around them was electric. The next move was her's. A fist flew towards him with all the force of a falling star. Neji spun on his feet, just quick enough to have it miss his face by a hair's with. Lee had been right: the two were evenly matched. Lightning-quick another punch hailed down on him. Unable to muster enough speed to evade it this time around, he blocked, forearms crossed in front of him. The sheer power of the punch reverberated through his bones and would have knocked him over, if not for Neji's perfect control of his own balance.

They fought like that for what could have been millennia, pushing each other to the limit. He enjoyed having his abilities tested like that. Not that spars with Lee or Gai weren't challenging, quite on the contrary, but this was something else entirely. It wasn't just a contest in strength or skill, their bout had turned into a complex dance, each of them predicting the other's next step. Without bissing a beat, they stepped and spun around each other while delivering powerful attacks. The two were drawn to each other like the polar opposites they were, his grace contrasting her raw power as the full moon did to an inky sky. Over time, inevitably, he grew exhausted, but so did she. Their pace slowed by the tiniest amount and their blows lost just a bit of their destructive power. And then, after what seemed like an eternity, it finally happened: She swept out one of her legs, knocking him over in the process.

The young man barely even had a moment to register his back hitting the mat bevor she was on him, pinning his body to the ground, one of her forearms applying just the tiniest amount of pressure to his throat. He strained one more time, in vain. Even though she was lighter than him by a considerable amount, Tenten was as immovable as a mountain. He hit the mat with the palm of his hand multiple times, declaring defeat. The pressure on his throat was gone immediately, as she backed off. Their eyes, still locked, like they'd been since the beginning of the fight, remained on each other. Something in her gaze changed, every rest of leftover anger from the evening before dissipating like smoke. For a second they looked each other and understood. 

Then, a huge grin spread across her face, echoing in her dark eyes. Unwittingly, Neji found himself smiling. The woman who had been his opponent just a second ago lifted herself off the ground and as if it was the most natural thing in the world, extended one of her hands towards him. Wordlessly he took it and rose from the mat. 

"That was **amazing!!** " 

Accompanying Lee's sudden shout were claps from people neither of them had noticed entering the studio during their spar. If Gai's students had already shown up, their little fight had taken much longer than expected. Tenten dropped his hand and spun around, eyes lighting up like Christmas lights in December. 

"Gai!", she screamed sounding happier than he'd ever experienced her before. With a speed that seemed almost impossible considering their intense match, she left the ring and crossed the space between the studio's owner, who'd entered with the small crowd of students. He met her halfway, enveloping the young woman in what looked like a bone-crushing hug.

"Glad to see you back home. That was a splendid display, you haven't slacked off these past six months at all." He sounded proud, almost like a father.

"Never! Who do you think I am?", she answered, voice laced with fake outrage. "I'm glad to be back too."

"Neji, come over and join us! You were quite impressive as well", Gai beckoned. For just a second he hesitated, afraid not to fit into their, obviously quite familiar, conversation. In the end, he joined the three.

"Seriously, I had no idea you were that good!", Tenten said in a cheerful tone, gesturing wildly with both hands. "That's the best spar I've had in a while."

"Likewise", he replied honestly. During the last few minutes, he'd felt more alive than... well, ever. 

"God, I'm _so_ sorry about yesterday. I acted like a total bitch, huh?" She sounded so genuine, he was left unsure of what to say. 

"Don't worry about it. The whole situation was my fault after all, so if one of us was acting like a bitch, that's me. I apologize for what happened at the airport." Tenten flashed him a warm smile, wordlessly indicating that all was forgiven. He felt like a weight was being lifted off his shoulders. 

"Oh, what's this? Don't tell me two of my favorite students are fighting?" 

"No, not at all! Seriously, it's water under the bridge", she said. He could only agree. All of the negative emotions between them had melted away in the heat of their match. 

"Really?! That's great!", Lee chimed in. "I'm so glad you two are finally getting along." 

"Yeah, yeah, me too, but can we go grab breakfast now? I'm starving." Thinking about it, Neji was quite hungry himself, not having eaten yet. Still, he was unsure about asking to tag along. Tenten and him weren't mad at each other anymore, sure, but he didn't want to force his presence on her and Lee. The two were best friends after all, maybe they wanted some alone time. His train of thought was quickly stopped when she spoke up again: "You're paying, rich boy." This time, the nickname didn't have any mocking undertones to it.

"And why would I do that", he teased right back at her.

"Lee and I have a deal: whoever loses the spar is buying and since you're part of our little group now, you're no exception."

She'd said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, but Neji had never taken anyone's acceptance for granted. Not even his own family's. From the way she'd run up to him on the street, cursing like a sailor, to the unexpected invitation, that woman was throwing him one curveball after another. He figured that breaking his routine a little more couldn't hurt and gladly went along with the two.

—

Even though it was just past eight in the morning, the summer sun was already beating down onto the streets, heating up the concrete more and more with each passing second. This day would be just as hot as the last, or, if some unknown higher power decided to smite them, even hotter. The shower Tenten had taken after her little match wasn’t more than ten minutes past, yet she was already sweating again. _God,_ she really needed this heatwave to be over. At least diner wasn’t much farther. Both, the air-conditioning and the food, were sorely needed right about now. 

Thinking back to the spar, Tenten couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. Not just because she’d won, though that was a nice bonus, but because, for some inexplicable reason, the bad blood between her and Neji was completely gone. She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but at some point during the match she’d been able to let go of all negative feelings and just enjoy herself. It was a strange paradox, that a fight would somehow ease the tension, but it had worked. Neither of them had been on their best behavior the day before, but the whole thing was done and over with now. Forgotten like a box of old clutter in an attic, destined to do nothing but collect layer upon layer of dust. Besides, that Hyuuga guy was good. They’d been evenly matched and even though she’d won in the end, the match could easily have ended differently. It hadn’t though, so now she was getting treated to breakfast, a fact she was planning on taking full advantage of. 

The little bell above the door rang out sweetly as the trio entered the diner and the second the cool air hit Tenten’s skin she was sure she’d gone to heaven. The group sat down at one of the tables and the young woman released a sigh of contentment.

„Ugh, I’ve missed this place!“

„We’ve missed you too Ten. You’re a regular after all.“ Moegi, one of the waitresses approached them as soon as they’d sat down, wearing a big smile on her face. „Coffee?“

„Hell yeah.“ The fact the waitress had recognized her so easily after all that time, slipping right back into their usual routine, made Tenten unreasonably happy. It felt nice to know that people hadn’t forgotten about her over the last six months. 

„So, who of you is paying this time?“, Moegi asked, already familiar with their post-spar ritual, her eyes wandering from Lee to Tenten and back again.

„Actually, it’s him.“ Nonchalantly, she pointed at Neji, not even trying to suppress the hint of satisfaction in her voice. The waitress’ eyes immediately brightened at that.

„Ooh, so a new challenger approaches huh? Don’t feel too bad about losing to Ten, she kicks some major ass.“ Neji looked a bit unsure about what to say, but Moegi smiled nonetheless, clearly not worrying whether or not she’d offended him. Tenten found it sweet, how the younger woman always rooted for her and cheered her on when she was the one emerging victorious. Besides, she _had_ kicked ass today, so the compliment wasn’t just a bunch of empty words.

Apparently, he didn’t think so either. „She really does. Next time I won’t lose though.“ His statement didn’t sound arrogant, not like literally everything he’d said the evening before, but was laced with humor instead. Still, there was no denying the glimmer in his eyes at the mention of another bout. 

„That a challenge, rich boy?“, she teased right back, without missing a beat. „Or do you just want another chance to check me out?“. At her remark, Neji’s expression changed completely, on his face a look of shock mixed with what might’ve been embarrassment. Realizing she might have gone overboard with the jokes, Tenten quickly looked away, her cheeks feeling slightly warmer than before. _Shit_. Why couldn’t she have kept her mouth shut this time?!

Moegi cleared her throat, effectively dispelling the tense atmosphere surrounding the group and laid out a menu for each of them before going to retrieve their beverages. Her empty stomach took priority over the embarrassment for now, so the young woman started studying the menu, trying to decide what exactly Neji would be paying for today. An almost impossible task, as it turned out. Her mouth watered at the thought of almost every single item on the menu. In the end, she went for some good old scrambled eggs. Waiting for their breakfast to arrive, the trio fell back into casual conversation, Tenten’s earlier remark seemingly forgotten. 

„You’ve been out of the country?“ The Hyuuga looked genuinely interested, rather than just trying to make polite small talk.

„Yep. I was in Singapore for an internship with a local newspaper.“ Saying it out loud made her feel proud. A few years back she hadn’t believed she’d even make it through high school. But here she was, with a degree and six months of work experience under her belt. 

„So you’re a journalist?“

„I mean, kind of? To be fair I mostly got coffee for the higher-ups and proofread other peoples writing. Had a real press pass though!“ She was simply unable to contain the genuine pride and excitement in her voice as she spoke about work at the newspaper. Over the next few minutes, she answered any questions the two men had about her internship, rambling on and even straying from the topic at times. She was midway through a full-blown rant about press freedom and censorship when their food arrived. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she worried that she came off as obnoxious, running her mouth like that, but Lee gave her a warm smile, his eyes clearly reflecting his interest. How in the world did she deserve a friend like him again? Even Neji gave her a smirk that seemed, even though she technically only knew the guy since yesterday, pretty uncharacteristic. 

„What is it?“, she asked before shoveling a bunch of eggs into her mouth. He blinked, as if unsure what to answer.

„It’s just nice to see someone being so passionate about their work.“ She would have replied, if not for chewing the mouth full of food, so her best friend took the chance instead.

„You think Ten’s passionate now? Man, you should see her when she writes! It’s like she goes off into her own little world and won’t come back until she’s finished. One time I found her passed out at the kitchen table, drooling all over the laptop.“

The young man released a laugh that echoed all the way to his pearlescent eyes. Huh, so the guy could laugh after all. Strange, how, during such a short time, his behavior and, consequently, her perception of him had shifted. Still, she wouldn’t just sit there and let Lee dunk on her.

„Hey! I do not drool!“, she interjected after hurriedly swallowing her food. 

„Oh, you totally do. I have photo-evidence.“ At that, the young man pulled his phone out of the pocket of his jeans and started swiping through the gallery. She tried to wrestle the device out of his hands, unsuccessfully. A few seconds later he was showing off a rather unflattering picture of a slightly younger Tenten, hair a mess, head on the kitchen table and, in fact, drooling. Upon seeing it Neji hid a smile behind the palm of his hand and she sighed in defeat.

„Alright you win, now put that phone away before I dig up the pictures from your last birthday.“ If Lee wanted an all-out photo war, she’d give it to him. Though, the woman was pretty sure he still had some photos from their graduation party and she’d rather not have Neji think she was a complete lunatic, even though they'd just met. Well, after how she acted last night he probably thought that anyways. 

Thankfully, breakfast apparently was more alluring than causing his friend's death by embarrassment, as Lee locked the phone and put it away again. For a good while, the only sounds at the table were of forks and knives hitting the plates as the group took care of their empty stomachs. Stuffing her face with the familiar meal, Tenten felt herself coming home a little, the food fulfilling a craving that went beyond simple hunger. The taste of her hometown. For a moment she was simply content. That was until her newest acquaintance spoke up again, sounding a tad too serious to fit the situation.

„About earlier, I’m sorry if it seemed like I was ogling you. It wasn’t my intention.“ She’d thought the topic done and over with, so the apology came as somewhat of a surprise to her. 

„Don’t worry about it, I could tell you were just trying to seize me up because of the match.“ He raised an eyebrow as if he wasn’t sure if to believe her and a small chuckle escaped her. „I was just teasing you earlier, Idiot. Though I know I’m a looker, so no hard feelings if you were“, she added to underline her point, wiggling her eyebrows. Thankfully, he seemed to get it this time, laughing right along with her. It felt right, somehow. After their initial distaste for each other was out of the way, they actually vibed pretty well.

The feeling of her smartphone vibrating within her pocket, indicating a new text, snapped her out of her thoughts and back into reality. She opened it and, upon reading the short message, was filled with a new sense of urgency. 

„Shit, that’s my landlord. I totally forgot I was supposed to pick up the keys in twenty minutes!“ In the heat of yesterday’s argument, she’d totally forgotten about it. Basically inhaling what was left of her breakfast, she made ready to leave. 

„Want me to come with?“, her best friend asked, but she just shook her head.

„Nah, don’t worry. I’ll see you later.“ Lee gave her a cheerful wave. „Thanks for the food, rich boy. You’re not as insufferable as I thought, I admit.“

„Not _as_ insufferable?“, he bit back, mirroring her playful tone.

„You’re on thin ice.“ A small chuckle followed up the remark and after flashing the two men a peace sign, she was out the door and on the streets.

—

The apartment, as expected, was a mess. Well, as much as a completely unfurnished set of rooms could be messy. The only furniture installed, was a stove and counter, leaving the rest of the flat bare and feeling entirely too big to Tenten. The empty rooms, few as they were, seemed to stretch out into eternity, inducing a weird feeling of loneliness. She'd have to do something about that soon, after all, she didn't want to bother Lee for longer than necessary. Even though it was clear as day that he didn't mind, she couldn't help but feel like a burden. Ever since she was a child, she'd hated feeling weak or, even worse, coming off that way towards others. Depending on others had never come naturally to her, being something she'd had to learn over time instead. A task Gai and her best friend had helped with immensely. Lying on her back on the floor of what would be her bedroom, she let her eyes roam the empty, white walls. 

Okay, technically speaking, white was an overstatement, the walls marred by stains and the paint coming off of them in places. Another item on the list of things that needed to get fixed. It was going to be a lot of work, but for some reason, planning out the tasks grounded her. She always felt best when she was keeping herself busy. Today she’d get some cleaning supplies and sweep the place while Lee was at work. Cleaning wasn’t exactly her favorite pastime, but it would have to be done, sooner rather than later. Besides, it would be nothing in comparison to everything that came after. Assembling IKEA cupboards hadn’t been fun back when she and Lee had done it for their first apartment and the young woman doubted that had changed in any way. Still, it was nice to have a place to call home again. Even though the apartment in Singapore had been cozy, Tenten’s heart had always beaten for Konoha. If she was honest with herself, the last day still felt a bit unreal, but in a good way. It’s like she hadn’t noticed how much she’d truly missed the city until she’d come back.

Exhaling deeply, she pushed herself off the floor. Shit wasn’t going to get done by itself.


End file.
